Preliminary work for 2020 census now underway

Every 10 years, America comes together to count all the residents and households in the country, providing the basis for reapportioning congressional seats, redistricting, and distributing federal funds that support vital programs in communities, counties, states and across the nation.

Census results impact housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy. According to Sandy Woody, Granville County’s Addressing/Geographic Information System manager, preliminary work is now underway for the 2020 census as address canvassing for the 2020 census officially began Aug. 19.

Representatives of the U.S. Census Bureau are now in the field to update and verify local addresses prior to Census Day, and may be knocking on doors across the area to confirm addresses and to request information regarding additional living quarters on the property. For identification purposes, badges and briefcases will be visible indicating affiliation with the Census Bureau.

This preliminary operation is one of several activities the Census Bureau conducts for an accurate and complete count and will continue through mid-October. The official census count will begin in March 2020.

For more details, visit the Census Bureau website at https://www.census.gov/.